I’m at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), an institution in the Wisconsin Prison System (WPS), participating in the Earned Release Program (ERP). I expected Tuesday to be another day of waiting for my ERP social worker Ms. Grey to walk through those steel doors with the word that my judge had signed my amended judgment of conviction permitting my release from prison since I have now graduated the ERP. Tuesday didn’t disappoint as I did do a lot of waiting. We did get some weirdness go on though. Starting with the first count in the morning, cellie Scar Johnson talked right in front of the guard as he was counting us. The guard was more shocked than anything I think that Scar was so brazen in his disregard for his authority and the procedures for count. But that was the end of it or so it seems. Trust me though the guard involved wont’ forget. A little later the other guard inspected a cell and found a stinger. A stinger are melted prongs stacked inside an electrical cord which is stuck in water with salt. The cord the plugs into the wall. The salt water then heats up soda bottles full of water. Inmates use those bottles for coffee or refried beans. Most prisons provide a microwave to inmates so this isn’t necessary. But not at MSDF. Supposedly, if you get caught with a stinger, its supposed to be an automatic trip to the hole. But nothing came out of it thus far for the inmates in that cell. This guard then went from cell to cell looking at everything that was plugged into a socket checking to see if one of the prongs were removed. of course, you can make a stinger with any metal you can fit into the electrical cord holes (a radio cord is often used). Wire from a notebook, paper clips and so on. So the point of the search was a little lost on cellie Larry Sands and I. Anyway, a little later on, the lock for the door on the cell next door wouldn’t open for any key. Maintenance had to be called and the inmates in that cell had to hang out in the dayroom. Of course, another guard had to stand up their with the worker as he worked on the door to ensure no tools were taken. But the event we were all waiting for didn’t happen for anyone – getting word from Ms. Grey if our paperwork had been signed by the judge. ERP group member Scott Dietz called his sister and had her check on all ten of us on CCAP to see if any activity occurred on our cases. There was some confusion on her part whether or not she was looking in the right place. I got on the phone and tried to help. Still, no signs of activity on CCAP. I’m ok though. I know it’s going to happen so I’m not going to get worked up. It’s just a matter of time.

I’m at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), an institution in the Wisconsin Prison System (WPS), participating in the Earned Release Program (ERP). Nothing much happened the weekend after our ERP Group graduated. Two minor incidents would have implications later on. First, cellie Scar Johnson began talking trash about me in the dayroom. I got word of this from cellie Larry Sands. I just didn’t care as I’ve come to know the person he is and since I’m almost out of here opinions here matter even less than it did to me before. Second, cellie Jose Michaels had the occasion to be playing his music louder than normal. He likes a Puerto Rican style of rap which I don’t care for. But the way it has worked in our cell up to this point is we use our headphones for electronics. It’s a respect thing as not everyone likes what another might. So, I asked him to turn it down which he did. End of story right? Not exactly. Come Monday, it started similar to when I first got to MSDF. Lots of TV, took a shower and read. It’s so nice to not have to wait in line for the shower now! But during the day, our ERP social worker Ms. Grey came by and summoned us to the dayroom. I hoped against hope she got word our judges had already signed our paperwork, but no such luck. Though she hadn’t felt the need to go through our Phase III evaluations, she brought our Phase 3 evaluations for our signature. Glancing through mine, the ratings were generally positive, but the true reflection of how she felt laid in the comments she made. She mentioned how I went to the hole because of this blog but also mentions that though I never received any kind of discipline for it I seem to always have to have the last word and that I didn’t seem to grasp the basic tenants of the ERP program. I read this and briefly agreed. I was helping at her request other inmates with their goals for crying out loud! But I wasn’t going to make any headway here, certainly not with all those other group members standing around. It felt vindictive, almost retaliatory on her part. Of course, this doesn’t change anything about my status as having completed the ERP program. The only downside is this eval will go to my parole officer (PO), Helen Gaither. There’s a good chance she won’t even read it. But at the time I admit to being angry. I was even more angry when Sands returned and told me Ms. Grey asked him if he regretted moving to this cell. When he said no, she asked if he was sure. Again he said no. I sat there fuming. I went about my business thinking about all this. I got in a better mood though when Michaels came around. He has such a positive attitude, you can’t help but not be down around him. We got to talking and he told me that he had been unhappy when I asked him to turn down the music and that he can’t wait till Sands and I leave so he can run the show in this cell and they can be bad as they want in there. He was decent about it and he demonstrated respect by seeing we had a way of doing things before he got here. But I’ll still be glad I won’t be here for that collision between Scar and Michaels! But I’ll close with some comments about what Ms. Grey did. Its good I always wait before I write these entries. It allows perspective to form. But to be honest, I’ve been unhappy with my writing for this blog while at MSDF. I have had one hour a day to write whereas at other institutions I had tons of time. I’m also unhappy with my time at MSDF. I grew as a person much more while at DCI, JCI, and FMCI. Though MSDF and ERP were largely negative influences in my life, ultimately I’m responsible for my own growth or lack thereof. So I have to accept responsibility for that. It’s not Ms. Grey, MSDF, cellies or others fault. But I will say I do look forward to a more positive atmosphere that I will create out in the world. The proof is in the pudding as they say. I believe that with God’s help, I will be successful even if it does look overwhelming now.